Youngsters at a Carlisle school are enjoying a healthy new addition to their playground – after a two-year Covid-enforced wait.
An outdoor gym has been installed at Newtown Primary School to encourage the children to keep active during their breaks from classes, thanks to an incredible fundraising effort all involved.
The money to buy and install the fun equipment was actually raised two years ago but the children have had to patiently wait until restrictions have eased before they’ve finally been allowed to use it.
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Donna Lund, the Newtown Road school’s Family Learning Mentor, said: "Back in 2020, we entered the CFM Cash for Kids Sports Challenge, where we had four weeks to raise as much money as we could.
"We came up with the idea of an outdoor gym as Key Stage 1 had an amazing climbing frame, but Key Stage 2 had a large, concreted area, and a field, so lots of space but nothing in it.
"We asked the children if this was something they would like and they were very excited, and we started fundraising," she said.
That campaign included a sponsored walk, chocolate bingo, raffle/tombola, Smartie challenge, non-uniform day and there were also donations from generous local businesses. The school raised an amazing £4,072, coming runners up in the challenge, and receiving an additional £1,000 from Cash for Kids.
The ribbon on the equipment was cut by Cash for Kids’ Charity Executive Sara Oldham , who said: "It’s an honour to be here and see the children make use of this outdoor equipment. We’re proud to work with and support schools like Newtown. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces is a fantastic reward."
Chair of the school’s Local Advisory Board, Kelly Pattison, said: "We're delighted to have these new pieces of equipment. The outdoor gym supports the curriculum and provision for our pupils here at Newtown. It's already proving popular when the children get the chance to head outside for breaks or class and encouraging them to be active."
"We thank CFM's Cash for Kids for their continued support, helping our children and families.
"We're also proud of our own fundraising that we do at school, donating funds to the charity as we recognise the vital work and the impact that has on the lives of youngsters and their parents and carers right across the region," she said.
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